Chapter 239.2: Yes, It’s My Decision (2)

Kang Chan held up his phone and checked the time but soon cocked his head. His phone wasn’t working. Although he just spoke to Seok Kang-Ho on the phone yesterday, he wasn’t picking up any signals anymore today.

“Oh Gwang-Taek, check your phone,” Kang Chan said.

“My phone? Why?”

“My phone isn’t working.”

“Yeah?”

Oh Gwang-Taek, who was putting on thick clothes, stopped halfway and waddled to his room.

“Hey! Mine isn’t working either,” Oh Gwang-Taek responded.

In the middle of their conversation, an agent entered the barracks, and Joo Chul-Bum—who just woke up—went out to the living room.

“Did you get a good night's sleep, hyung-nim?” Joo Chul-Bum asked Kang Chan.

“Yeah. Wash up quickly so you can eat.”

Joo Chul-Bum nodded in response and then went into the bathroom.

“Our phones aren’t working,” Kang Chan said, turning to the agent who just entered. “Do you know anything about it?”

“I was actually just about to tell you about it. The Mongolian border patrol seems to have left with the Mobile Base Station.”

Kang Chan immediately realized that he was right—something was amiss.

No wonder those sons of bitches left first thing in the morning.

It wouldn’t have been easy for them to move the Mobile Base Station. After all, even though it was labeled as ‘portable,’ it was still quite large. That was why he didn’t expect that anyone would steal it in the first place.

“Let’s go get something to eat first,” Kang Chan said as Joo Chul-Bum came out of the bathroom looking like he only washed his face.

Kang Chan examined their surroundings as he made his way to the mess hall.

Kang Chul-Gyu was on top of the barracks again. The weather and the wind weren’t any different from yesterday.

Won’t that old man lose focus if he keeps standing guard on an empty stomach?

Kang Chan immediately shook his head.

Would Kang Chul-Gyu really miss any enemies approaching them on a bright morning like this when he could put a bullet through the throat of a target more than a kilometer away from him?

Not liking that he cared about Kang Chul-Gyu, Kang Chan picked up the pace and entered the mess hall. He then picked up a plastic-wrapped food tray, put rice and soup on it, and sat down at a table. Not long after, Kim Tae-Jin approached him.

They briefly greeted each other before eating.

“Our phones aren’t working. Do we have any other way to contact others?” Kang Chan asked Kim Tae-Jin.

“I’ve already talked to manager Kim Hyung-Jung using the satellite phone that we brought with us. If you need to use it, just tell an agent. They’ll bring it to you.”

“I’ll let you know if I need it, then.”

Kim Tae-Jin didn’t say anything else. He looked nonplussed, though.

After finishing their breakfast at around forty minutes past seven, they returned to the barracks with Kim Tae-Jin and drank coffee together.

“What time does the training start?” Kang Chan asked Kim Tae-Jin.

“We’re planning to start in an hour and twenty minutes. Will that be okay?”

“I don’t see why it wouldn’t be. Is there a problem?”

“Not really. I just asked because the Mongolian border patrol leaving so early in the morning and even taking the Mobile Base Station with them is making me feel uneasy.”

Kim Tae-Jin looked at Kang Chan as he drank his coffee.

Since they had arrived in Mongolia, Kim Tae-Jin’s eyes had been becoming fiercer as time went on. Being in such a nerve-wracking situation seemed to be making the senses and instincts he had in the past quickly come back to him.

“Is that... old man over there going to train Oh Gwang-Taek and his men?” Kang Chan asked.

“That’s right.” Kim Tae-Jin nodded. He was putting in a lot of effort to disregard the way Kang Chan referred to Kang Chul-Gyu.

“Proceed with the training, then. I can stand guard when it starts. It’s a lot better than just wasting time doing nothing.”

“Are you sure about that?” Kim Tae-Jin asked.

“Of course. I don’t have anything to do right now anyway.”

Kim Tae-Jin left the barracks when their conversation ended, having to issue orders. He also seemed to have left in consideration of Kang Chan and Oh Gwang-Taek, wanting to give them the space to smoke in comfort.

Chk chk.

Kang Chan, Oh Gwang-Taek, the agent, and Joo Chul-Bum put a cigarette in between their lips.

“Do you have enough cigarettes?” Kang Chan asked.

“Don’t worry. We filled one bag with it. We might run out of food, but we will never run out of cigarettes,” Oh Gwang-Taek answered, making Kang Chan suddenly miss Seok Kang-Ho.

That fucker really knew what to do to console Kang Chan during times like this. How many people out there in the world could laugh as groups of their enemies were rushing toward them?

Just before the clock struck eight, Kang Chan put on winter pants, a hat, and a mask.

“Why are you already ready to go out? Didn’t you say that you’ll stand guard when the training starts? There’s still about an hour left,” Oh Gwang-Taek said.

“Isn’t it about time to change shifts anyway? We have to give the agents a little more rest at moments like this if we want them to endure this situation in the night as well.”

Oh Gwang-Taek exhaled softly, seemingly finding it unfair that he couldn’t imitate Kang Chan. His exhale also seemed to convey his desire to be able to act like him as fast as possible.

Click! Clank!

Kang Chan replaced his magazine with a new one, then pulled the breechblock.

The agent who stayed in the same barracks as Kang Chan put on the same outfit as him. He then picked up his radio and rifle before following Kang Chan outside.

Kang Chan had no reason to tell the agent not to follow him, especially since the agent’s duty appeared to be to accompany him anyway.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

As the two left the barracks, the mad banshee wind rushed toward them from all four directions again. It was as if it was waiting for them to go out.

It could have been a little easier to endure if the wind consistently blew toward them. Even if that was the case, though, this wilderness would still be horrible.

The two went around the barracks and went up the narrow iron stairs. Kang Chul-Gyu, who was standing guard on top, gave Kang Chan an awkward stare.

“You should head down,” Kang Chan said.

As instructed, Kang Chul-Gyu headed down the stairs without saying anything unnecessary.

Why is the damned old man pretending to be obedient!

Kang Chan pressed the stock of the rifle against his right shoulder and put his left hand on its barrel. He then slowly examined their surroundings.

The agent positioned himself near Kang Chan and held his rifle in the same way. He then examined the area opposite from the one Kang Chan was checking.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

“Do you want a hard-warmer?” he asked.

“I’m good, thanks.”

The agent didn’t take his eyes off the distance even as he spoke to Kang Chan, a behavior that showed that he used to be in the special forces.

The sun shone so intensely that they felt as if it was right in front of them.

Getting exposed to this much sunlight for even just a week would be enough to tan anyone’s face. Unlike applying tanning oil and getting tanned at the beach, though, the tan they got here didn’t look nice. Unlike the rest of their face, the inner layers of their wrinkles would still be pale, making them look like beggars.

Slowly shifting his gaze, Kang Chan smirked. They would look like beggars wearing clothes for North Korean soldiers. Fortunately, he was wearing a mask. He also lowered the visor on his forehead to further avoid that outcome.

Although it likely seemed odd, people often got motion sickness when experiencing endless flatlands for the first time, especially if they were used to living in places surrounded by mountains like South Korea. That was why the agent accompanying Kang Chan kept shaking his head.

Not even marine training could help avoid the sensation. After all, it was different from seasickness. It was somewhat bearable at night because they could only see a bit of the flatlands, but there was no way to avoid it during mornings with the sun brightly lighting up their surroundings.

“Head back into the barracks. Leave the radio,” Kang Chan told the agent.

“I’m okay.”

“You’re going to lose consciousness if you stay here. It takes at least three days to get used to this view, and those who are slow to adapt even take as much as ten days. We don’t know when our enemies are going to attack, so don’t be stubborn just for the sake of it. Go back down and don’t look outside unless absolutely necessary.”

The look in Kang Chan’s eyes and the way he spoke made the agent apologize and hand his radio over. Before climbing down, he looked straight at Kang Chan with eyes that seemed to be asking,

‘Who are you? How do you know things like this?’

Kang Chan couldn’t help but smile. If he could tell others all about it, then Kang Chul-Gyu would already be dead.

Now that he thought about it, Kang Chul-Gyu didn’t get motion sickness. He didn’t like anything about that old man because he didn’t seem human at all. That was probably why his wife hung herself and his son died, too.

About fifteen more minutes had passed since the agent with him climbed down.

At the very least, they had to stay here in the morning. Someone would have to come up and eat lunch here, but the only ones whom he thought could do that were Kang Chul-Gyu and Kim Tae-Jin.

How good would Suh Sang-Hyun be?

Badum badum.

Badum badum.

As Kang Chan slowly shifted his gaze, his heart began to beat faster.

The Mongolian border patrol left with the Mobile Base Station first thing in the morning.

His heart beating faster could be a natural reaction to this situation.

Sharply scanning his surroundings, Kang Chan noticed a cloud of dust rising in the distance.

It was still quite far away.

Kang Chan held up his radio.

Chk.

“An unconfirmed vehicle is approaching. All agents—prepare for combat. I repeat. An unconfirmed vehicle is approaching. All agents—prepare for combat,” Kang Chan said.

He put his radio down and glared at the incoming cloud of dust.

Pow-pow-pow! Click! Click! Pow-pow! Click!

The sound of rifles and footsteps noisily rang out from inside the military base.

If the enemies were from the Spetsnaz, then Kang Chan’s team was in for one difficult battle today. During moments like this, the only people he expected to be helpful were Kang Chul-Gyu and Kim Tae-Jin.

Badum badum.

Huff huff.

Just as Kang Chan turned to look inside the barracks, Kang Chul-Gyu walked up the iron stairs.

Swish!

The wind roughly swept past between the two as their gazes met.

Huff huff.

Huff huff.

“The enemies might be from the Spetsnaz,” Kang Chan said.

“Got it.” Kang Chul-Gyu obediently answered Kang Chan.